Suitability (Blue) Card

Suitability Card (Blue Card) for Child Related Employment

Issued by: Commission for Children & Young People - Queensland Government

All adult coaches, officials and administrators are required to complete an application for suitability notice for a Volunteer, these forms can be collected from Noreen at the basketball office. All volunteers are processed free of charge. All coaches are required to hold a Blue Card to continue their role. If you have any involvement in working with children, it is law that you have a police check and our Association keeps records of those people who are registered with the Commission.

A criminal history check looks at:

a person's criminal history (if any) to ascertain whether the person is suitable or unsuitable to work with children

involves a check being made of the records of the Queensland Police Service and other Police Services in Australia for details, if any, of convictions and charges that may have been laid against the person, no matter when they occurred

where a relevant record is identified, additional information relating to that record may be sought from sources such as courts, police, prosecuting authorities and other government departments to enable a full and informed assessment.

The new law requires the Commissioner to:

assess a person's suitability to work with children based on his or her criminal history, if any

contact a person who has a criminal history which may make him or her unsuitable for child-related employment

invite him or her to make a submission to the Commissioner regarding the information in his or her criminal history and or his or her suitability for child-related employment within the time specified.

issue to an applicant and his or her employer a notice stating that the person is either "suitable" or "unsuitable" to work in child-related employment

About the blue card

A blue card is issued to people who pass a Working with Children Check, which is carried out by the Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian.

The Commission is an independent statutory authority which promotes and protects the rights, interests and wellbeing of children and young people in Queensland, especially those most vulnerable.

Under the Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian Act (2000), people who work with children under 18 in particular businesses or categories of paid or voluntary employment, must undergo employment screening.

A person whose application to work with children and young people is approved is issued with a positive notice letter and a blue card.

If a person’s application is refused, they are issued with a negative notice which prohibits them from working in the particular categories of employment or carrying on particular categories of businesses defined by the Act.

From 17 January 2005 the Commission’s Act has changed to include new categories of employment and business and new conditions for some existing categories of employment.

Under the Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian Act 2000 a blue card remains current for two years.

Existing card holders will be notified by the Commission ten to twelve weeks before their cards expire. A police information check will again be conducted on the card holder, and if their application is approved, the person will be issued with a new blue card.

The original employer will not receive a renewal notification, as the employee may have changed employers. However, current employers will be involved in the blue card renewal process, as they will have to sight the employee's identification documents and complete the employer’s declaration on the application form.

Employers or volunteer co-ordinators will be notified of the outcome of an application, but any criminal history details or other personal information will remain confidential. It is an offence for an employer to employ or continue to employ a person in child-related employment or for a person to carry on a child-related business without a current blue card. People who fail to comply with the Act may be subject to penalties.